§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many road accidents have occurred on the Johnstone bypass since it was opened; how many of these accidents have been fatal; how many have involved serious or critical injury; what assessment he has made of the reasons for the incidence of accidents on this stretch of road; what plans he has to take measures to reduce the potential accident risk; what discussions he has had with Strathclyde regional council on this subject; and if he will make a statement. [28528]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThere have been 10 accidents, involving 15 casualties, on the Johnstone bypass since it opened to traffic in May 1993. Four accidents resulted in six fatalities and five accidents resulted in nine serious or slight injuries. Responsibility for the Johnstone bypass, including all road safety matters, rests with the local roads authority, in this case Strathclyde regional council. I understand that the regional council is actively monitoring the route and has already made a number of modifications to reduce the risk of accidents on the road.